Abstract: This paper will attempt to introduce the concept of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) to the audience. This will be provided alongside the legal, moral, and ethical perspectives of those fighting against or for the legalization of the aforementioned issues in the United States. These are highly controversial topics that have been a topic of discussion for hundreds if not thousands of years. Some countries currently have legalized euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, such as Belgium and Netherlands. And many countries do not have them legalized, with no plans to change anytime soon. However, in the United States both issues are still being discussed in great length, with many moral and ethical arguments echoing …show more content…
The biggest difference is in the way they are carried out. Euthanasia usually involves a physician or some other medical or institutional third-party administering the medication to the patient. Physician-assisted suicide, on the other hand, involves the patient administering the medication themselves. Even though euthanasia is illegal nation-wide, several states in the United States have actually adopted physician-assisted suicide due to this crucial difference between the two practices. In the debate over the legalization of these issues in the United States, opposing viewpoints are deeply rooted in their perspectives on the morals and ethics of euthanasia and PAS. This paper aims to report the current state of the discussion of euthanasia within the United …show more content…
Those who support legalization are of the mentality that patients, or those close to the patients, that are terminally ill, should be able to make the call to end the patient’s life. Those who are against these issues are of the mentality that it is very hard to justify making the call to end one’s own, or even someone else’s life, as it can easily be looked at as normal suicide or homicide. The arguments for legalization involve having less suffering for disabled or terminally ill patients. While the opposition could argue that they can be medically cared for and allowed to continue living. The discussion stretches far beyond just life and death, as there are many cases of ill or disabled patients, each with different outlooks. The wide range of opinions from every walk of life complicates the decision of what is actually right, and what is wrong.
Conclusion: Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is a very complicated topic to discuss with heavy roots in past traditions and religious beliefs. The debate in the U.S. is still ongoing. These issues will most likely be a topic of discussion for a very long time due to the ethical and moral standpoints, and we will see what the next years bring in relation to the advancements or halts of their
Physician assisted suicide (PAS), a widely controversial topic, has two apparent sides. Those who oppose the morality of PAS, and see deep rooted problems, and those who see PAS as beneficial and support the morality. With this issue gaining publicity, it is important to explore and examine exactly why allowing PAS would ultimately be beneficial to us all. California recently passed a bill allowing PAS, and the effects of this bill have to potential to become very wide spread and encourage other states to follow in California’s footsteps. But, before people open up to the idea of PAS there are several moral dilemmas and arguments against PAS that must be proven incorrect. Ultimately I plan to show why PAS ought to be morally permissible among those with life altering conditions and terminal illnesses. PAS produces the best overall consequences and allows people to be autonomous, which is what this country was founded upon.
Abstract: This paper discusses the medical ethics of Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS). Focusing on the ideas of legal vs illegal, the different views of PAS will both be addressed. While active euthanasia is illegal, passive euthanasia, or allowing natural death, is completely legal everywhere. PAS will help patients end suffering for themselves at the end of their lives, as well as the family's. The price of the drug may be expensive but the price of medical treatments continues to rise. The Hippocratic Oath does not support the aid in ending a life, however it has been changed in the past. Many citizens are afraid that is PAS was considered legal, it would grow into something even more illegal being debated. Also, the religious aspect of the end of life had conflicting views as some believe PAS is ending suffering, a good deed, and other believe PAS is not respecting a human life. PAS is only legal in seven states but has gained the attention of many others and other places around the world.
Physician-assisted suicide, “suicide by a patient facilitated by means or by information provided by a physician aware of the patient's intent” (Merriam Webster), has been debated over for many years. It has often been called a death with dignity, “but there’s nothing dignified about the methods they advocate” (Torr et al. 56). Physician-assisted suicide has been a widely publicized controversy, and yet there have been many misunderstandings about the issue. It is not only a means of death for a comatose or dying patient, but it is also a way to kill people with depression and even infants in some places of the world. Although others may argue that physician-assisted suicide is an opportunity for the elderly and the disabled to make a choice about their death, euthanasia would threaten them more than give them freedom. Permitting this malicious practice does not just discard religion and ethics, but it also desensitizes society to killing, advertising physician-assisted suicide as a simple solution.
Physician-assisted suicide is controversial in healthcare and political realms alike. Currently, this end-of-life option is practiced in five states within the United States. Social concerns regarding assisted suicide revolve around ethical quandaries; providing the means to a patient’s death is contradictory to ethical principles of healthcare providers. Political concerns surrounding the legalization of assisted suicide include disparities in healthcare that may lead to certain populations choosing assisted suicide and the stagnation of current care options. While there is no succinct manner in which to declare assisted suicide right or wrong, each individual must address the social and political concerns surrounding the issue when voting for legislation to legalize assisted suicide or pursuing the option for themselves.
Radical assumptions have been made on whether or not physician-assisted death should be legalized in the United States because of its citizens’ uncertainty about this delicate subject. Physician-assisted suicide is the method by which an individual is provided with the drugs or equipment needed to commit suicide. The terms “aid in dying” or “death with dignity” are preferred over “suicide” due to their distinction from "suicide," where assisted or not, it remains illegal while “aid in dying” is permitted. This allows for the patient to have control over their life and have the right to be able to choose whether to live a life filled with tedious pain and/or suffering, or end their misery and be able to rest in peace.
Argument: The author argues that there are different positions of the four issues displaying vital areas of ethical tension central to evaluating physician assisted suicide and euthanasia in medical practices.
Thesis: When it comes to the topic of physician-assisted suicide (PAS), some experts believe that an individual should have the option of ending their life in the event that they have been given six months to live with a terminal illness or when the quality of their life has been vastly changed. Where this argument usually ends, however, is on the question whether physician-assisted suicide is medically ethical, would be overly abused to the point where doctors might start killing patients without their consent. Whereas some experts are convinced that just improving palliative care would decrease the need for someone to want to end their life before it happened naturally.
In today’s society, suicide, and more controversially, physician assisted suicide, is a hotly debated topic amongst both every day citizens and members of the medical community. The controversial nature of the subject opens up the conversation to scrutinizing the ethics involved. Who can draw the line between morality and immorality on such a delicate subject, between lessening the suffering of a loved one and murder? Is there a moral dissimilarity between letting someone die under your care and killing them? Assuming that PAS suicide is legal under certain circumstances, how stringent need be these circumstances? The patient must be terminally ill to qualify for voluntary physician-assisted suicide, but in the eyes of the non-terminal patients with no physical means to end their life, the ending of their pain through PAS may be worth their death; at what point is the medical staff disregarding a patient’s autonomy? Due to the variability of answers to these questions, the debate over physician-assisted suicide is far from over. However, real life occurrences happen every day outside the realm of debate and rhetoric, and decisions need to be made.
Physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia is still under scrutiny for a number of reasons. “In spring, 1996, the Ninth and Second Circuits were the first circuit courts in the country to find a constitutional prohibition against laws which make physician-assisted suicide a crime” (Martyn & Bourguignon, 1997). New York was one of the states that followed this prohibition. Eventually, The Ninth and Second Circuit, “allow physician-assisted suicide while attempting to protect individuals from unacceptable harms, such as involuntary euthanasia” (Martyn & Bourguignon, 1997). An assumption can be made, that euthanasia involves a licensed physician to play an active role in this partaking, and it’s where the patient prepares to die at.
The concept of physician assisted suicide is a very divisive issue in modern times. The fact that modern medicine can prolong life has been seen throughout recent generations, but now that lives have been extended for so long some people would like to use modern medicines to put an end to their own lives prematurely. There are many strong opinions about this issue on either side of the argument, but it seems that those who oppose the practice are doing so without allowing themselves to see the full scope of the issue. What they are failing to acknowledge is both a patient’s right to choose the treatments that they feel are best for them and what should be an intrinsic human right to die with dignity. What the advocates for the legalization of physician assisted suicide need to consider as well, however, is the fact that in arguing for this practice to be accepted by society ought to be also defining the practice that they are fighting for. If both sides of the debate allow themselves to settle on an operational definition of physician assisted suicide that takes great care to ensure that this practice is never carried out frivolously or without care while allowing patients the freedom and dignity to truly decide when to let go.
Assisted suicide is one of the most controversial topics discussed among people every day. Everyone has his or her own opinion on this topic. This is a socially debated topic that above all else involves someone making a choice, whether it be to continue with life or give up hope and die. This should be a choice that they make themselves. However, In the United States, The land of the free, only one state has legalized assisted suicide. I am for assisted suicide and euthanasia. This paper will support my many feelings on this subject.
The lack of consensus; thereof, in American society on the ethical question of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide could be attributed solely to the incredibly complexity and gravity of the issue. Therefore, in this study I will suggest, explore, and discuss that part of the ethical problem with euthanasia is under what circumstances, if any,
Euthanasia is a controversial issue. Many different opinions have been formed. From doctors and nurses to family members dealing with loved ones in the hospital, all of them have different ideas for the way they wish to die. However, there are many different issues affecting the legislation and beliefs of legalizing euthanasia. Taking the following aspects into mind, many may get a different understanding as to why legalization of euthanasia is necessary. Some of these include: misunderstanding of what euthanasia really is, doctors and nurses code of ethics, legal cases and laws, religious and personal beliefs, and economics in end-of-life care.
In cases where an individual's quality of life is irreparably diminished by terminal illness, one may seek to end their life with the help of a doctor. This has been a solution for patient suffering in neighboring countries, but there are ethical and legal issues that make it an impractical solution for American healthcare. Considering the results of negative potential of euthanasia practices exposes its flaws, and sheds light on better alternatives. Therefore active euthanasia, not to be confused with physician assisted suicide, should not be legalized in the United States.
Voluntary euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide, has been a controversial issue for many years. It usually involves ending a patient’s life early to relieve their illness. Most of the controversy stemmed from personal values like ethics or religion. The euthanasia debate puts a huge emphasis on what doctors should do for their patients and how much a person’s life is worth. Supporters of euthanasia primarily focus on cost and pain alleviation. Opponents of euthanasia tend to focus on morality. Whether euthanasia is legal or not could significantly affect future generations’ attitudes about death. Euthanasia should be legalized nationally because it helps patients that could be in unimaginable pain, offers more options for more people, and it is relatively inexpensive compared to the alternatives.